Jurgen Klopp keeps focused

The Reds’ stalemate at St Mary’s, only the fourth time this season they have not won, saw them lose top spot after just one match as Premier League leaders.

Klopp felt that after scoring 10 in their previous two matches against Crystal Palace and Watford prior to the international break, there was a growing belief outside of their Melwood training ground bubble that his side would continue to fly through fixtures against the so-called lesser sides.

“The Southampton game was really important for us - the result was not too nice - but the games before looked a little bit like we were in the flow and it was easy,” he said.

“Then we had this day when we didn’t score early - didn’t score at all - but we stayed in the game and we are ready for the work we have to do.”

Sunderland, who lifted themselves off the foot of the table last weekend with a second successive win, are the visitors to Anfield today as former Everton and Manchester United manager David Moyes returns to his bogey ground where he has drawn seven and lost six of his last 13 visits.

Despite his side scoring 19 times in six games at Anfield this season, Klopp is under no illusions about the difficulty of the task.

“It’s like the points are already on the counter and we couldn’t be further away from having the points already,” he said. “We will not underestimate them, 100% not. They (Sunderland) have not the highest amount of possession so that shows they are a counter-attacking team.

“But they don’t only make counter-attacks, they have other strengths too with set-pieces.”

Meanwhile David Moyes insists Sunderland must remain realistic over the role of Victor Anichebe in dragging his side away from the foot of the Premier League table.

The 28-year-oid striker heads to Anfield with the Black Cats having struck three goals in two games and formed a potentially crucial partnership with fellow forward Jermain Defoe.

Moyes reunited with Anichebe - whom he had described as “a young Didier Drogba” during his Everton days - this summer after the Nigeria international was released by West Brom.

Moyes warned: “We’ve just got to be careful - we’ve won two games with Victor coming into the team and we also played well at Southampton and should still be in the cup.

“But let’s put it into context - he’s not a £20million centre-forward. We’ve got a centre-forward who I believe in and I know what he is capable of but there will be games when he is on top form and games when he is not.

“We’ve been really pleased with him and Jermain - what Jermain has done whether it be this season or in seasons gone by speaks for itself with his goals.”